Betsy Gilliland

To still provide hands-on learning experiences for its culinary and hospitality students during the pandemic, Oklahoma State University called on chefs from top area clubs to help stage a special virtual Food Art event. 

Golf course renovations that began as a quest for water independence have distinguished the award-winning Pelham Country Club in Pelham Manor, N.Y., as an environmental leader.

C+RB‘s 15th Annual Ideas Issue highlights creative new events and approaches, born out of pandemic necessity, that have earned permanent popularity. In this article, we look at how the Horsham, Pa. club is benefiting from a member of the maintenance staff’s self-taught woodworking skills.

C+RB‘s 15th Annual Ideas Issue highlights creative new events and approaches, born out of pandemic necessity, that have earned permanent popularity. In this article, we look at how the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.) has been helping its members promote their personal businesses with a custom-branding initiative started by the pro shop.

C+RB‘s 15th Annual Ideas Issue highlights creative new events and approaches, born out of pandemic necessity, that have earned permanent popularity. In this article, we look at how Woodstone Country Club in Danielsville, Pa. implemented a “Millennial Membership” program to quickly grow from 175 to 325 members. 

Golf course practice facilities have become destinations with multiple amenities, rather than just places to hit a few balls, and superintendents have adjusted their maintenance of these areas accordingly.

For Paragould (Ark.) Country Club, Golf Course Superintendent Jeff Haskins says ownership of its utility vehicles makes the most sense for its operations.

Jared Weight, Grounds Superintendent at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis, Ind., says depending on how a building is constructed, the materials used, and how space is established, the facility can affect employee morale. And attitudes, in turn, can influence golf course conditions.

Jason Bauder, Class A Superintendent at Mill Creek Golf Club in Mebane, N.C., says the threat of COVID-19 has brought sanitation issues to light for every part of his department.

Swing Time, a Toptracer range that offers an interactive and social experience, was built on two former golf holes of Dairy Creek Golf Course in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The idea arose from back-to-back challenges—a drought and the pandemic.

To reduce water usage and demand, maintained turf at Diablo (Calif.) Country Club was reduced by 35 acres primarily in out-of-play areas. Drought-tolerant fescue and native California grasses, whose texture and color provide an appealing contrast to the manicured turf, were planted on 23 acres of open expanses on the golf course perimeter.

Though it’s off the beaten path, the golf course at Orangeburg (S.C.) Country Club boasts pristine conditions that have consistently earned statewide and national recognition. “We don’t have the ocean. We don’t have the mountains. But we’re a great stop in between,” says Director of Golf David Lackey.

At Mount Vernon Canyon Club in Golden, Colo., a snow day means something other than skiing or sledding. “I had to stop classes indoors, because of cautions over how many people we could have together,” says Lili Bell Shelton, Wellness and Fitness Director. She started researching the possibilities for outdoor “snow-ga” and discussed the concept…

To recruit interns, superintendents rely on job boards and relationships with turfgrass programs and professors nationwide. Many start by reaching out to about a dozen programs in the late summer every year, but are finding it harder to recruit interns because turf-school enrollments are declining.

With the increase in rounds at golf courses across the country last year, superintendents have had to adjust maintenance practices to accommodate the added stress on the turf and properly prepare for (hopefully) more of the same.